James Shields, Billy Butler Could be Saying Goodbye to KC

Oct 15, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher

James Shields

brings out the American League championship trophy back out to the field for fans after game four of the 2014 ALCS playoff baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals swept the Orioles to advance to the World Series. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Game 7 of the World Series will be the culmination of Kansas City Royals GM Dayton Moore’s long rebuilding project no matter which way it turns out. Billy Butler, James Shields, Nori Aoki, and others could be spending their last night in a Kansas City uniform on Wednesday night.

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James Shields will be a free agent immediately after the game. While the Royals have made noises about signing him, Shields figures to be in high demand this offseason. Shields figures to be the 3rd best starting pitcher on this winter’s free agent market, behind Detroit’s Max Scherzer and Oakland’s Jon Lester.

I doubt Kansas City will be able to afford Shields with Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Kelvin Herrera, Greg Holland, and Lorenzo Cain all hitting their arbitration years. Cain, Holland, and Herrera are sure to see big leaps in their salary after the team’s World Series run this season.

Oct 28, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter

Billy Butler

reacts after hitting a RBI double against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning during game six of the 2014 World Series at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Meanwhile, the team holds a $12 million option on Billy Butler, that I don’t see how they can pick up. As effective as Butler has been in the post-season, he has pretty much turned into a 240lb. singles hitter. The Royals cannot afford to pay a DH that kind of money without extra-base production. Butler will turn 29-years-old in April, and is hardly the kind of guy that keeps himself in peak shape. The aging curve is likely to hit Butler hard, and sudden.

Dayton Moore has also expressed the desire to turn the DH position into a rotating spot the team can use to rest a player. In particular, Salvador Perez and Omar Infante could benefit from such a scheme. Perez caught 150 games this season, more than any other catcher in major-league baseball. His improved bat speed in the World Series after 5 days of rest is evidence that DHing more games would help his in-season production.

Meanwhile, Infante will be 33 years old, and has also shown a tendency to get dinged up in his career.Nori Aoki is also in the final year of his contract, but could be brought back as a cheap solution to right field. However, even if Aoki returns, expect Jarrod Dyson to see more time in the outfield after his decent season at the plate (.267/.324/.327 with 36 steals) and his spectacular year in the field.

Yet, the Royals could opt to bring in a power-hitting right fielder like they attempted to do last winter when they came close to signing Cardinals slugger (and former Royal) Carlos Beltran. Fortunately for Kansas City, Beltran decided to sign with the Yankees and proceeded to put up a mere 98 OPS+ (2% below league average, which is very bad for a guy who is now an offense-first player) in an injury-plagued year.

Other Royals who are on the final years of their contract are former failed starter turned dominant reliever Luke Hochevar, who blew out his elbow in spring training and had Tommy John surgery. Bench bat Josh Willingham will also be a free-agent, but he has indicated he intends to retire after the season. Reserve outfielder Raul Ibanez, reliever Jason Frasor. and reliever Scott Downs are also on the last year of their contracts.

Jayson Nix is will be in his 3rd arbitration years, but is unlikely to return with Christian Colon ready for a big league job. Meanwhile, Frasor could return because the bullpen has lacked depth, if the price is right.

C’mon Royals, let’s win game 7 so that these guys get to spend their last day in a Kansas City uniform celebrating a World Championship!

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